Highlights

In June 1997 issue 20 of Arcane was published. On it's cover were Heroes on the Edge, modern dilemmas on the mean streets of modern games and inside were a host of great articles on Cyberthulhu, Arabian Knights and running games at conventions (where have I heard that before?).

On page 13 it promised another issue with Badfellas, The Orient Expressed and Encounter: Smaug Base. These never appeared because issue 20 was to be the last we would see of this colourful British roleplaying fanzine. It was one of the best roleplaying magazines ever. It had regular articles from the likes of Phil Masters and Andrew Rilstone and even some pieces from the likes of John Tynes, Sandy Antunes and our very own Steve Darlington. It was even making money, but not enough. So Future Publishing dropped it in favour of Future Arts, What Mountain Bike and Jane Grenoff's Cross Stitch.

What has this go to do with us? Well, this was one of the events that encouraged Steve into creating Places To Go, People To Be. This is our 19^th edition and, as we stand on the verge of equalling our illustrious predecessor, this is a good a time as any to make changes.

Already the eagle-eyed among you will have noticed the link on the front page to our Forum. While we will still answer all your letters and publish some of the more engaging or ridiculous, we see this as a better way of having a good old chinwag, in public, about our articles and any other aspect of the zine.

The less than eagle-eyed and quite frankly half-blind will no doubt admire our new look. Andy and Orie Hiromachi are responsible for the this with our mascot Petey. Andy has also written an article on roleplaying in Japan. At this rate Andy will also be doing my job soon. I'd better sharpen up my act.

There will be more major changes and shocking news in the next issue, which I promise will not be our last, but for this one the only other piece of remastering is the dropping of the news items. By the time we come to publication, at least half of what we might present is already out of date and beside there are several sites that are much better suited to this kind of thing. We will continue to give our round up of what's out there for roleplayers in the world we call web.

So now you have been wowed by our stunning new style, enchanted by our mascot Petey and quite frankly knocked for six, yes, even you cricket illiterate, what is there left to do but take up your dice bag to go out and play!